The Fall of the Grand Sarrasin eBook

And indeed, though I remember not exactly after these
many years the number of the ships, I think there
were at least five score, and in each ship close on
five-and-thirty men-at-arms, besides the sailors who
had the management of the sailing. Duke William,
when thus aroused, did not things by halves.
And as we rounded Pointe de Barfleur, and saw on the
one side Cape de la Hague looming through the morning
air, our fleet rode in a fair line forward, making
a semicircle as they sat gaily on the sparkling waves.

And in the ship that was at the northern horn of this
great bow was Samson, and I by his favour with him,
and the man on the look-out in this great ship, that
was called Le Saint Michel, saw more clearly
than any other of the mariners of what lay ahead.
Now, Le Saint Michel was the ship Duke William
loved, and indeed it was both stout and strong, and
made for swiftness rather than great burthen.
And being the favourite ship of the duke, it was gloriously
dight with gold and colour, so that it looked right
noble as the sun glinted on its golden vanes, and
lit up the splendour of its close-woven sails of crimson,
whereon two lions were curiously blazoned. And
before upon the prow, as it cleaved the waves, sat
St. Michael with wings outspread, white as the gulls
that circled around our fleet, as though he were indeed
bearing us forward with good hope upon our journey.

“Look you!” said Samson, shading his eyes
with his hand as he leant with his arm on the gunwale;
“we take our track neatly betwixt Auremen and
the Hague, and in so fair a day as this have no fear
to run close by yonder cursed Casquettes, where many
a good ship hath met its doom. Dost thou see
them yet?”

“Yea,” I said. “There, like
a rough, jagged set of teeth, they spring yonder from
the calm waves and a long track they make where thou
seest the foam on either side.”

“Then we will have no risk of our good men,”
said Samson, presently. “Port helm, man,
and keep a clear mile from yonder hungry rocks.”

Soon the north coast of Guernsey hove in sight, and
earnestly I gazed forth for signs of any pirate ships
that might intend to do battle with us on the sea.
And, indeed, it was well to look, for around from the
Grand Havre as we approached swept a great straight
column of their low-decked, lean, swift-sailing vessels,
and we seemed to see another such column lying-to
behind.

“See you them?” I hastily cried to Samson.

“Ay, it means battle,” said he.

But this good soldier, well used to fighting by sea,
as well as by land, was even now as cool and undismayed
as though he but went about his proper work.

Samson gave his orders with words sharp and few.
And indeed it seemed that all was arranged for us
to meet such a defence of the coast by our foes.
For, like living beings, our great ships sailed swiftly
into two lines, strong and steady, with our vessel
at the end of the second rank. And all this was
done without disorder or confusion, as men-at-arms
will form square on parade, and still we rode on the
while, and Samson stood watching the pirates’
fleet that lay now in a long line in front of L’Ancresse
Bay awaiting our attack, as was meet for them to do.